Bovine papillomavirus type 7 in Italy: complete genomes and sequence variants

Two novel bovine papillomavirus type 7 (BPV-7) variants have been identified in teat cutaneous papillomas affecting dairy cows in northern Italy. The entire genome sequences of two BPV-7 Italian variants showed major sequence differences in the long control region (LCR) and in the L2 gene compared to the Japanese reference strain. In order to define the stability of these genetic variants, the L2 and LCR sequences of seven further BPV-7 positive isolates were characterized. An insertion of six amino acids in the L2 structural protein has been detected in all samples while different genetic variants have been identified for the LCR. These findings provide new insights on intra-type variability of BPVs and represent a starting point for future studies aimed at establishing the biological role of the different BPV genomic regions and investigating the pathogenic potential of papillomavirus variants.